The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
For the first time, Flin Flon hosted the JV Volleyball provincials this past weekend. Games were held at the Hapnot Collegiate, Creighton Community School, McIsaac School Ecole McIsaac and Many Faces Education Centre gymnasiums. John Belfry, who was in charge of things at McIsaac, says things went really well. "We got comments from coaches and parents about how great things were," says Belfry, who adds aside from the volleyball, the open ceremonies were a huge success as well. "We had all the teams piped in and it was just great," he says. Twenty-two teams braved the snow-covered roads, traveling from one school to another as they competed for the top title. Walking away with a much deserved win were the girls from Killarney with a victory over the Niverville Panthers. The boys saw the Niverville Panthers take on the Rosenort Redhawks, where the Panthers came out on top. The hosting Hapnot Kopper Kings and Kweens games were short lived as they were both beat out early on in the play-offs. "It was really great," says Belfry, "how we were able to stay on schedule both Friday and Saturday. "It was great volleyball and it was great for the kids as they got to see how everything was done." Putting together provincials isn't a small task. Groups had been working on putting together the JV tournament for about two months, and Belfry says "everything just went really well." While Hapnot has hosted provincials before, this was a first for JV volleyball. "We've had basketball and badminton here before," says Belfry, "but it's not something you get to do often. "So this was a real honour for everyone," says Belfry. Hapnot Kopper Kweens coach Cathy Davidson says while the team was prepared on a skill level, they weren't prepared mentally. "We worked hard physically, but we were missing that mental part of the game," says Davidson adding "the girls played well, though." As this was the girls' first time at provincials as a team, Davidson says they are a young team. "The nerves got to some of the girls, but we're taking this and putting it in our tool box and we will be better for it," she says. While the regular season is over for the Kopper Kweens, Davidson, along with fellow coach Gord Halpin, will be putting together the Flin Flon Kweens team in January. "We run the team as a club from January to May and it gives the girls experience and more training," says Davidson adding she hopes to have some special guests come up and show the girls some skills. "We're hoping to get some Team Canada players to come up and help us ," she says. The Flin Flon Kweens will have the opportunity to play in the Provincials in Winnipeg in the beginning of May and head to Nationals in Calgary later on in the month. "We hold try outs for the girls who are 16 and under and we make the team from that," says Davidson. As a team, says Davidson, "the girls will be getting experience and exposure, which they are so fortunate to get."
